We're not just a full-service hospital, we're also full spectrum..

If your pet can make it through our front door, we'll care for it!

We're not just a full service hospital, we're also full spectrum...

If your pet can make it through our front door, we'll care for it!

Our Front Door

Our Front Door

Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital has been providing exceptional small animal health care to the pets of Santa Rosa and surrounding communities for more than 85 years. Over the years, many things have changed but the one thing that has remained consistent through it all is the unwavering commitment of our caring staff. We are passionate about improving the lives of animals, and we feel honored to partner with you in supporting all of your pet’s healthcare needs.

We are a full-service veterinary practice offering all of the medical, diagnostic, surgical and dental care services necessary to keep your furry, feathered or scaly friend happy and healthy for as many years as possible. Whether it’s a simple check-up or life-saving critical care, we’re ready, willing and able to help. We have been AAHA certified since 2008, and have also been certified as Feline Friendly by the American Association of Feline Practitioners since 2013.

Our Staff Sets Us Apart

While our services may be comparable to other clinics in the area, our pet-side manner is second to none. Our staff is friendly and approachable, and we really know our stuff! We have special interests and education in pet dermatology and an expertise in handling the unique needs of geriatric patients. The animals we treat include all manner of household pets, from dogs and cats to birds and pocket pets to reptiles and other exotic creatures. Simply put, if they’re special to you, they’re special to us!

Another thing that sets us apart from other clinics in the Santa Rosa area is the atmosphere within our facility. We are a small, family-oriented practice where getting to know our clients and patients is important to us. We want to learn about who you are and understand the unique personality of your pet because we feel that this enables us to provide the best possible care and service to you both with each and every visit. When you come in with stories and your pet greets us happily – well, that’s what it’s all about for us!

Compassion is Everything

Our true compassion and care really shine when we get to interact with our patients, whom we treat like royalty. We work hard to keep the cats, dogs, and birds separated here at SRVH because we want to ease tension for your pet and make the entire experience as stress-free as possible. Your pet will love it when we get down on his or her level and meet them right where they are, making them feel more comfortable. Belly rubs, chin scratches and plenty of tasty treats are just par for the course when you’re visiting with us, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We know, more than anything else, that you want the very best for your loved one. We want to be there to provide all of the tools, education, services, and support you need to achieve that goal. As your pet’s guardian and advocate, you are the single most important person in their life. We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to deepen the bond you both share and provide you with all the information you need to make your companion’s life better.

We're Committed to You and Your Pet

At SRVH we treat every pet as though they were our very own, and we’d love the opportunity to extend that same gentle touch and compassionate care to your animal friend. We look forward to working alongside you to help keep your pet healthy and happy now and for many years to come.

Our Santa Rosa Animal Clinic

Our Veterinarians

Since he had a great love and aptitude for the sciences as well as a deep connection with animals, it wasn’t hard for Dr. Krome to settle on veterinary medicine.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Dr. Krome started his college career at UCLA as a Zoology major. He transferred to the University of California at Davis to complete his Bachelor’s degree, simultaneously working at the University’s School of Medicine to care for the research animals. He graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and completed an internship with a group of veterinary practices in the Bay Area.

In the mid-1980s, Dr. Krome purchased a veterinary hospital in Walnut Creek, then built a second hospital in Pleasanton, California. He started another hospital in Danville in 1989, then left private practice in 2012 to accept a teaching position at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. After realizing he missed the ability to work directly with patients, Dr. Krome moved to Santa Rosa and began working with Dr. Joel Blumberg. In May of 2014, Dr. Krome purchased the clinic from Dr. Blumberg, who wanted to move towards retirement.

As a veterinarian, Dr. Krome’s greatest joy comes from imparting knowledge of disease and treatment to a pet’s guardian. Medically, he enjoys dermatology cases and geriatric medicine.

He has three grown sons: the youngest is in college, and the older two both work in the computer business. He also shares his home with his wife, Sherry, their two dogs, a female Eclectus Parrot and a large saltwater aquarium.

Dr. Krome says he has too many hobbies for his own good. He loves hiking, bicycling, reading novels, working in the yard, gardening, and racing his car. He and his sons still get together and race their cars at a local track whenever possible!

Dr. Steven Krome

Owner, Veterinarian

Dr. Steven Krome was the kid who was always surrounded by animals; he would even go to the storm wash near his house to collect lizards, tortoises, salamanders, and horned toads!

Raised in California’s Central Valley, she spent her formative years' camping, hiking, and exploring the mountains, lakes, beaches, and streams of Northern California. Dr. Lester received her bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis. Her final year at UCD, she lived on-site at the Hopkins Avian Research Facility studying the health and behavior of chickens where she developed a lifelong passion for poultry.

Always ready for a new adventure, Sandra moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota to pursue her Doctorate at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After 10 years in Minnesota, Dr. Lester decided to hang up her snowshoes and move back to the place she loves the most, California’s Northern Coast.

Here she could use her experience to provide its residents with knowledgeable and compassionate veterinary medical care. Sandra resides with her ongoing project dog Ellie, a small flock of chickens, and horse Paris. Outside of the clinic, you may find her horseback riding through one of our many local vineyards, growing award-winning peppers for her own label of hot sauce or trying out the latest Cooks Illustrated recipe.

Dr. Sandra Lester

Veterinarian

Dr. Sandra Lester always knew she was going to be an animal doctor and was fortunate to have grown up with a diverse population of pets from dogs and cats to hermit crabs, fish, and birds- most of which her parents knew about...

Our Careteam

at Our Santa Rosa Animal Clinic

Megan started at Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital in the spring of 2005. After a year, she left to attend college, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California-Santa Barbara. She returned to the clinic in the summer of 2008 and took up her current position as the Office Manager.

Megan’s favorite part of the job is being a witness to the incredible relationships between pets and their loving owners. She loves to see the moment of reunion when the team brings a healthy pet out to their human family!

At home, Megan lives with many dogs, cats, and horses. The roost is ruled over by Jojo, a Senegal parrot who delights in chasing the dog and destroying Megan’s boots.

When she isn’t caring for her pets or working, Megan enjoys knitting socks, reading, and participating in dressage with her horses.

Megan Van Deren

Growing up as an only child, Megan’s constant companions were her family pets. She can’t imagine her life without animals! It only made sense for her to pursue a career in the veterinary field.

Jean grew up on a small farm in Oregon, where she was surrounded by pigs, cows, chickens, and cats. Her first veterinary job came in Colorado, where she worked at a grooming and pet supply store.

Upon moving to California, Jean worked in a pet store and a veterinary hospital, where she stayed for 25 years. After a short stint operating a family-owned deli in Healdsburg, California, Jean returned to the veterinary profession and started here at the clinic in 2010.

Jean loves answering clients’ questions as simply and directly as possible. She’s also quite fond of cuddling puppies and kittens while their owners fill out paperwork!

Jean and her husband Dean—a veterinary assistant here at the clinic—recently bought a new home close to the Russian River. Landscaping, painting, refinishing the deck, and adding antiques now takes up most of her free time.

Jean Holland

Client Service Representative

Jean has been working with animals since the late 1970s when she started working with a program that sponsored dog training for the deaf. Ever since then, Jean knew that working in the veterinary field was her life’s calling. Now she gets to care for pets and their owners daily at Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital!

I was always impressed with the spectrum of species they would tend to and their creative solutions. I went to Bel Ray School of Veterinary Technology in Denver Colorado in 2014 and have been a CVT ever since!

Hannah Darrow

Lead Veterinary Technician

I grew up with the Pacific ocean as my playground, spending most weekends and vacations exploring the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. My enthusiasm for veterinary medicine came from the amazing traveling island veterinarians I would meet along the way.

So, when it came time to choose a career path biology was an obvious choice.

With 8 years of experience as an RVT, Erica still loves the fact that she gets to use a microscope at work every day and that there’s always something new to learn. Erica was Fear Free certified in 2019 and enjoys making sure that both her pet patients and their owners feel as comfortable as they can while in her care.

Outside of work Erica still loves being outside hiking, kayaking, and exploring. Although she misses her family and favorite hiking spots in the midwest, she’s happy that she’s living her dream among the redwoods and the ocean.

Erica Marshall

Veterinary Technician

Erica grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, IL, and spent much of her childhood outside exploring. When she got a microscope for her birthday one year a whole new world opened up for her exploring the creatures living in pond water, or the cells in whatever vegetables her parents had in the refrigerator.

Dean was born in Jackson, California. He entered the veterinary field in Sacramento when he began working as a kennel technician for a group of practices in the area.

When he and his wife were given the chance to manage a deli in the wine country, they jumped at the chance. After four years in the deli business, they decided to sell the establishment and return to the veterinary world.

Dean’s wife Jean got a job at Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital, and she referred Dean to the clinic when a position opened up. Dean started in December of 2010.

Dean Holland

Veterinary Assistant

Ever since he can remember, Dean wanted to work in a field where he could help people or animals. In the veterinary profession, Dean gets to do both! He loves caring for people and their pets every day as a Veterinary Assistant.

Lauren’s first veterinary job was at an animal hospital in Rohnert Park, California. She then worked at a bird rescue center before owning her own business for a period of time. Lauren has since decided to return to school to study Zoology.

She started working here at Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital in 2014. Direct interaction with animal patients is Lauren’s greatest source of joy. Creating a bond with patients helps pets to feel at ease, and it’s just plain fun for her!

Lauren lives with Sam, a young Basset Hound, and Hanna, an Eclectus Parrot.

Lauren Mackey

Veterinary Assistant

Lauren is currently working on her Zoology degree, so serving as a Veterinary Assistant here at the clinic is the perfect fit for her while she’s in school. Plus, she likes to joke that she’s always worked better with animals than with people!

Sherry and her Husband, Dr. Krome, share their home with two rescue dogs. Muffin the Shih Tzu has the longest eyelashes Sherry has ever seen, and Muffin won’t hesitate to bat her lashes to get what she wants. Ranger, the family lab mix, lives for the game of Frisbee.

One of Sherry’s greatest accomplishments occurred recently when she promised herself that she would complete an obstacle course race before turning 50. After two years of intense training, she completed the “muddy buddy” race in an hour and 10 minutes—Sherry says it was the hardest thing she’s ever done, but it was absolutely worth the effort!

Sherry Krome

Practice Manager

Sherry’s background didn’t involve working with animals, but with children—she worked at her son’s high school for many years. After he went off to college, Sherry decided it was time to try something different! Working with the wonderful staff at Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital has proven extremely rewarding, and Sherry is proud to serve as the clinic’s Practice Manager.

Client Gallery

Buddy

Dynamo

KInu

Ryder (the Parrot)

Ranger

Ryder and Joker

I had to take my moms dog to get his nails cut and I called to see how much it was and told the lady on the phone we would be in shortly and she said ok. HOWEVER- When my fiance and I got there she said we needed to have an appointment and when I said I had called ahead of time and the lady never said anything about an appointment. She denied ever speaking to me on the phone! Even though she confirmed the name of my moms account and the name of the dog! Living in windsor and going back and forth wasn't fun but it had to get done. So if you are planning on going here please make sure you make an appointment. Other than that the nail trimming went fast and we were in and out.

Love this vet! All the doctors are great and when you have an appt they spend a lot of time with you and your pet, listening to your concerns. They will also respond via email which is SO HELPFUL for anyone dealing with a sick pet! Great place!

Never did I ever think I'd find myself at the Vet with a hamster. After calling around all morning (it's very hard to find a small animal vet here) I finally found Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital. They were EXCEPTIONAL in every way. Super friendly, easy to schedule, everyone was very helpful and informative. We left with a happy healthy hamster and I'd definitely recommend them to anyone ♡

Had an emergency with my bunny and called 5 vet offices to see if they could see him - SR Vet got him in within two hours. Happy coincidence that there'd been a cancellation that opened up a slot, but I'm so grateful that they got us in and took good care of Bun Bun. He's back to his old happy self now!

I was really happy with there customer service and how well they took care of our cat (Smokey) not only was I in and out real quick, but there was another customer that was rude and inpatient, they handle it with the most professional manner. I highly recommend this place.

They did the very best they could for my guinea pig, Gizmo. I'm glad there's somewhere in this town that will treat them. If my other guinea pigs ever have any health issues, I hope they would see them as well. I lost my Gizmo after surgery, but the staff were all extremely kind and I was able to have him cremated. He's finally home again.

Very gentle vet. Both she and her assistant were very knowledgeable and let me know all the things my cat may need. Flea treatment yes $1500 preventable dentistry not yet but good to know what to keep an eye on. I would recommend and I will return..

TAKE YOUR FUR BABY HERE! Great experience here from the first phone call! Every single staff member is really caring and straight forward which is greatly appreciated. They communicate quickly and efficiently! Dr. Krome is quick with a response on email and filling prescription request. Front office staff was more than helpful after we had trouble getting records from the last vet. And we really loved the tech too who was very transparent with us. Outstanding all around!We had adopted a senior cat back in January, which EVERY staff member thanked us for at different times, and went elsewhere where they "diagnosed" him with lymphoma but wanted us to do charge us for more tests after an overnight stay and wouldn't give our cat any kind of medication to make him feel better when we took him home until we set up a consultation with a specialist despite their two tests not being conclusive. Dr. Krome gave us the ability to make our cat comfortable with the time he has left from the first visit. We are extremely grateful to have found this place.

Dr. Krome lifted my burden of worries over my elder bird Peachtree's mobility problems. I was happy to see he is a kind and caring vet and felt relieved that my bird was safe in his diagnosis. Although my bird loudly proclaimed his protests, I feel sure that deep in his heart he felt safe, too. Great vet and great staff. My faith in Veterinarians has been renewed.

Highly recommended! Staff was friendly, caring and approachable. Dr. Krome is awesome! Very knowledgeable and treated my dog with care. He explained how to approach her treatment very clearly and encouraged me to call or email with questions at any time emphasizing that I could contact him anytime and as much as needed and it would not be bothering him. I felt totally confident that he would manage my dog's complex issues very well. I feel like this is the best veterinarian that I've ever been to!

I cant express enough how wonderful SR Vet is! We had to put our dog of 13 years down and they could not have been any more compassionate and kind. We brought our new pup in for her first shots and I am so happy that she will be in the best care with Dr Krome, Jean, Megan and the whole fantastic staff!

Was super nervous, never having been to another vet before, you wonder how they will treat your family member that you're taking them to see and I was blown away with how well the Dr. was handling our rambunctious feline. Extremely skilled, she literally didn't notice the shots she received and was very gentle although she's usually very wary of new people. This will be the vet I go to for the rest of my life here in this area.

This is the best Vet Hospital I have ever been too. My pug and I ahed lived in five different states and have backpacked in even pretty much all of the others. This Vet Hospital and especially Dr. Krome are the best pet lovers, caretakers and veterinarians I have ever known.

I can't say enough about Dr. Krome and his staff. We have been going to Dr. Krome for the past two years with a very challenging dog who is afraid of everyone and everything. He was so patient with her and helped us learn so much more about what she needed. Unfortunately, we had to put our Lucy dog down last week, and he couldn't have been more helpful, understanding and caring. We were so lucky and appreciative of him coming to are home to take care of our girl. I would give him and his team 10 starts if I could. The greatest vet ever!

I don't usually write reviews it was Google reviews that helped me figure out where to go next after waiting for an hour at my previous vet's office only to be told it wad going to be at least another half hour before I could be seen due to an emergency. This was the second time this had happened to me there and while I appreciate the fact there was an emergency, I should've been told on the outset.So I picked Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital due to it's Goolge reviews. They were able to get my cat in that day, and explained from the beginning it would be a wait (they too had an emergency) in part because they were double booking to get us in. The wait wasn't more than a half hour. The staff were great, the doctor was fantasic. He even gave me his email address incase I had any questions down the road. I highly recommend Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital. I will definitely be using them again.

Out of town, needed an urgent doggy appointment for a new problem. Seen same day by friendly knowledgeable professional staff. Very reasonable priced office visit with medication dispensed. Highly recommend!

My first visit today and I am very happy with the clinic. Everyone was so friendly and I loved Dr. Stephen Krome!!! He's the best! He took his time with me and my cat and it really showed that he really cares about my cat's health.☺ I am very glad that I ran across the clinic on the Internet.☺ I feel very comfortable with the clinic and I do believe that I have found a good place for my cat.☺And, I felt they are reasonably priced.☺

Best Damn Vet in Sonoma County! Truly care about your pet not your wallet. You do have to pay but they always go above and beyond what you pay for. Great people from the front office to the back. If you love your pet like family and want to take care of them from the front to the back this is the place to go! Trust me i don't have a lot of money but when I got my dogs back, I was 100% satisfied with every dime I spent! I've been to a few vets in Sonoma County and not only is this the best priced but the best care my pets ever received. Don't waste your time elsewhere The Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital is the only place you need to go. To hell with 5 stars I give them 100 stars!!!!

Regarding COVID-19 Shelter in Place directive.

Clients and Friends;

First and foremost Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital is an essential component of your pet family's health and wellness and will remain open for all your veterinary needs. Below you will find a list of some of the services community members have been inquiring about;

- previously scheduled surgeries

- booking new clients

- new surgeries

- fully stocked pharmacy

- prescription pet food

- complete oral health evaluations and dental cleaning procedures

- vaccinations

- flea/tick/heartworm prevention

- exotic pet exams and surgical services

- radiographs

- ultrasound

- bloodwork

- behavioral medication

These services and many more will continue to be available to our clients and community.

COVID-19 precautions:

Veterinary hospitals are accustomed to high loads of bacterial and viral exposure and already have powerful cleaning products and isolation protocols in place. Additionally, our staff has been keeping up to date with the cleaning recommendations put out by the CDC and WHO so we can do our part to protect the humans who play such a vital role in our pet's lives.

We will be providing curbside assistance during this time as a precaution and in the interest of doing our part to help our clients maintain a social distancing regime. Please park in front of the hospital and call our main line (707)544-1313 and a staff member will come to escort you and your pet into an exam room. If you prefer we will also be offering drop off services at no extra charge. Call to make an appointment, request a drop-off and we can treat your pet while you are safe in your car or at home. The DVM can call and answer any questions you might have as they guide you through the appointment with a telemedicine approach.

Our incredible reception staff is here to answer any questions you have about your pet's health so please do not hesitate to call. Dr.Krome and Dr.Lester and all our medical staff have your pet's best interests in mind and want to make sure you feel supported during this tumultuous time.

The silver lining to social distancing is the unique opportunity many of us have to spend extra time with our beloved pets. Sing with your birds, cuddle your ratties, laugh with your dogs, chat with your lizards and if a cat is on your lap enjoy the honor.

From all of us here at SRVH, stay safe and let us know how we can help!